Top.



H. M. HOWARD. TOP- AFPUCATION FILED MAR. 19, 1914.

1,l%4,9i38. Patented June 29, 1915.

HAROLD M. HOWARD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 29, 1915.

Application fild March 19, 1914. Serial No. 825,822.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HAROLD M. HOWARD, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Providence, in the countyof Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Tops, of which the following isa specification. 1

The presentinvention relates to a top adapted to be set into rotation orto be spun, serving as a toy.

The object of the invention is to provide a top of this character whichhas means for containing one or more smaller or secondary tops and meansfor setting such secondary tops in rotation and causingthem to spinindependently when the mam or primary top is spun.

The novel features in which my present invention resides and which Idesire to protect are explained in detail in the followingspecification. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of aconstruction of top in which I have embodied the principles of myinvention. .Fig. 2'is a plan and horizontal section on line 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view looking upwardly from line 33'ofcFig. 1. F ig. 4 is a detail plan view of the upper end of the top.Fig. 5 is a plan view of a detail of the top. Fig. 6 is an elevationpartly in section of the device employed for spinning the top. Fig. 7 isan under plan view of the spinning device.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all'thefigures.

The device or toy in which my invention is embodied consists in a mainor primary top 10, or parent top, and one or more secondary orsubsidiary tops 11. Preferably there are two or a multiple of twosecondary tops which are adapted to be placed within the parent top, inpositions symmetrically arranged about the axis of the parent top so asto balance one another. The parent top has cavities 12 in its sidessufficient in number to contain thesecondary tops and of such size thatone of those secondary topscmay be placed wholly in one of suchcavities.

In the body of the parent top'there' is a central space 13 whichcontains a disk 14, the latter being secured to a shaft 15 in a mannersuch as to be a rigid part of such shaft. Said shaft '15 extends aboveand below the disk 14 and has bearings at 16 and 17 in the upper andlower parts of the parent top. It projects beyond the upper end of thetop and through a head or stem 18 which is attached to or otherwise madeas a rigid part of the upper end of the top. Shaft 15 is adapted to turnin the top, and also to move endwise therein, and it is pressed uponupwardly by a spring 19. Said spring is contained in a socket 20 in thebody of the top below the disk and presses upwardly either against thedisk or against any other suitable abutment which may be provided on theshaft to take the thrust of the spring. Shaft 15 is also provided withcollars 21 placed close together and providing a groove between themwhich contains the inner ends of springs 22. Such springs are fastenedat their outer ends to the rim or peripheral part of the upper portionof the main top. There are as many springs as there are cavities '12 inthe sides of the top and each spring is located in the middle of theupper part of its respective cavity, extending thence into engagementwith the collars21. The outer end of each spring is provided in itsunder side with a longitudinal groove or guideway 23 extending inward ashort distance and terminating in a socket 24. Directly belowtheguideway 23 of the spring, the bottom of the recess is provided witha guideway 25 which extends outwardly and on a downward slant to theouter surface of the top, and at the inner end ofthis guideway 25 is asocket or depression 26. The secondary top 11 has pivots 27 and 28 atits upper and lower ends and these pivots are contained in the sockets24 and 26, respectively. The disk 14 and the secondary tops 11 have suchdimensions, and the sockets 24 and 26 are so placed, that when thesecondary top is placed in the sockets a point on its surface makescontact with the rim of the disk 14. Preferably the socket 26 is nearerthe axis of the main top than the socket 24, wherefore the axis of thesecondary top is inclined as shown in Fig. 1, with advantageous resultsto be presently described. When the secondary .tops are in place and theshaft 15, disk 14, and springs 22 are brought into the position shown bythe solid lines in Fig. 1, the secondary tops are securely held withinthe main top by the engagement of their pivots with the socketsdescribed. Theshaft may be retained in this position by a locking pin 29which is-adapted to be placed in a passage in the head 18 and passedthrough a hole in the shaft. The secondary tops are thereby locked inplace and the main top may be moved about and laid down without dangerof the smaller tops falling out.

In order to spin the top and thereby put it to its intended use, thespinning device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is used. This device consists ofa shank 30 having a handle 31, and a sleeve 32 rotatably mounted uponthe shank. Preferably the shank has a groove or a recess 33 and thesleeve is formed with a bead 34: occupying the recess so as to retainthe sleeve permanently on the shank and at the same time permit its freerotation. The shank has a socket'35 at its lower end which is square orotherwise 'noncircular in cross section and receives thesquared orotherwise correspondingly non-circular upper end 36 of the shaft 15, thepurpose of the non-circular socket and shaft being to prevent the shaftfrom rotating when the shank of the spinning device is held stationary.The sleeve 32 is extended below or beyond the lower end of shank 30 andit is given anoncircular outline conforming tothe outline of the head 18and adapted to fit such head. The projecting end of the sleeve thusforms a socket 37 adapted tofit the head 18 and to impartrotationthereto' when the sleeve is; rotated. The shape of the sockets25 and 3'1 and of the shaft end 36 and head 18 may, of course, beanything desired, provided the essential functions of preventing theshaft from rotating when the spinning handle is held and causing the topto rotate when the sleeveis rotated, are present.

To set the top in rotation a string or cord is wound about the sleeve32, the socket of the sleeve is engaged with the head of the top andthesocket of the handle is engaged with the shaft. The locking pin 29 isthen withdrawn. The user grasps the handle in one hand and pulls thecord with the other, at the same time holding the top-against thesurface on which it is to be spun by downward pressure upon the handle.7 This pressure is sufficient to retain the shaft 15 in the depressedposition shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The rotation of sleeve 32produced by pulling the cord. causes the top 10 to rotate and carriesthe secondary tops 11 with a planetary motion aboutthe disk 14, which isheld stationary. The small tops thus roll on the edge of the disk,frictionally contact with the disk setting them in rotation about theirown axes. When the large top has been set to spinning rapidly the handleis withdrawn, releasing the shaft 15 and allowing thespring 19 to raisethe latter. The rise of the shaft places the springs 22 in the raisedposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus raising the sockets .24far enough to release the pivots 27 of the small tops. The latter arethus left unconfined and are thrown outwardly V by centrifugal force.The guideways 23 and 25 confine the pivots of the small topssufficiently to cause the outward movement of the latter to be in radiallines, preventing the small tops from striking the sides of the recesses12. The downward inclination of the guideway 25 at the bottoms of therecesses permits free egress of the small tops. Thus the latter arethrown out from the main top after being set in rapid rotation and arecaused to spin independently on their own axes upon arriving at thesupporting surface.

I have previously referred to the inclined positions in which the smalltops are held. The inclinations are such that the axes of the small topsconverge downwardly toward the axis of the large top. This mode ofmounting the small tops retains them more firmly in contact with thedisk than they could be held if placed vertically, without at the sametime making disengagement of their pivots fromthe containing sockets anymore 'difiicult when released. It is possible to make the sides of theretaining sockets so inclined, that is, without abrupt edges orshoulders, that the pivots of the small tops are able to slip easily outof such sockets when the upper sockets are raised as above described.The inclination of the top causes an endwise thrust tobe exerted by theupper pivot against the end of the upper socket, whereby a part of thefriction-producing pressure against the disk is absorbed in axialpressure which has the effect of more securely retaining the upper pivotin its socket without increasing the frictional resistance to'rotationof the pivot. The downward inclinations of the guide groove in thebottom of the recess is of advantage in enabling the small topto issuefrom the recess when it has assumed an upright position after commencingits outward movement. and avoids danger of the pivots being jammed orwedged between the top and bottom of the recess upon assuming theupright position, which the small top tends to assume by virtue of itsspinning motion.

Without intending tolimit the invention to any particular details ofconstruction, I may saythat I propose to make the main top in two partsto permit insertion of the disk 1 between them, and that these parts maybe securely and permanently connected together after the shaft 15 anddisk 14 have been put in place. Suitable bearing sleeves or bushingsanda step for the shaft 15 may be provided in the main top and arecontemplated by my invention. It would not be a departure from theinvention to provide some other device than the disk 14: to

take the thrust of spring 19, or. to connect the disk with the shaft inany other manused 'in the foregoing specification have been chosen withthe purpose of clearlydescribing the particular embodiment of myinvention here illustrated and without intent to limit the principles ofthe invention to elements or devices most exactly de scribed by those'terms. For instance, I have described the members 22'as springs, becausethese particular members I are springy resilient strips J of metal.Essentially these spring stripsconstitute one embodiment of displaceablemeans for retaining one of the pivots of the small top, and any'otherembodiment of means having the a, same function isconsidered anequivalent of the spring strips shown and is intended to be embracedunder the terms used to describe the spring strips 22.

Evidently many modifications "in struction and relative arrangement ofthe elements herein shown and described may be made and used to secureessentially the same effects accomplished by the construction hereillustrated. All such modifications are included within the scope ofthis invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. A top having a lateral recess, a" secondary top contained in suchrecess, and

means for setting said secondary top in independent rotation.

2. The combination of a primary top, a secondary top mounted in saidprimary top, means for spinning said primary top, and means forsimultaneously causing said secondary top to spin independently of theprimary top.

3. A primary top having means for containing a top in its interior, asecondary top mounted rotatably in said means and means for causing saidsecondary top to rotate independently of the primary top and to beejected from the primary top.

4. A primary top having a cavity eccentric to its axis, a secondary topcontained in said cavity, the primary top having means for supportingthe secondary top so that the latter may rotate independently upon itsown axis, and means for releasing the secondary top and permitting itsegress from the primary top when the latter is spun.

5. A top having a lateral cavity, a secondary top adapted to becontained in said cavity and having pivots on its ends, pivot engagingand supporting means within said cavity constructed to engage saidpivots and permit rotation of the secondary contop, means for settingthe primary topin rotation and simultaneously causing the secondary topto rotate upon its own axis, and means for displacing one of said pivotcontaining sockets and of the secondary top.

6. A top comprising a body having a recess in its side, a shaftcontained axiallyin said body, a disk secured to said shaft, and

means in said cavity for supporting a secondary top rotatably with thesurface of the liatter in contact with the periphery of said isk.

7. A top comprising a body having a lateral cavity, retaining means insaid cavity formed and arranged to support a secondary top in positionto rotate upon its own axis, a frictional driver for the secondary toparranged in the said body and adapted to make contact with suchsecondary top, and means for holding said driver stationary when thesaid body is rotated.

8. The combination of a top, a circular driver contained within saidto'pcoaxially therewith, means for holding said driver stationary when thetop is rotated, and secondary top rotatably mounted in the first namedtop in contact with said driver and in such position as to be carried ina planetary manner around said driver when the first-named top isrotated;

9. The combination of a main top, a secondary top having-pivots atopposite ends of its axis, vertically separated sockets in said maintopadapted to receive the pivots of said secondary top, one of saidsockets being displaceable to release the pivot engaged thereby, and adriver mounted with capability of rotating relatively to the main toparranged to engage the secondary top frictionally for setting thesecondary top in independent rotation.

10. A top comprising in combination a toy, a driver, means whereby saiddriver may be held stationary when said top is rotated, pivot retainingelements associated permitting release with said top, a secondary tophaving pivots rotatably engageable with said elements, said elementsbeing so placed that said secondary top when its pivots are so engagedor makes contact with said driver, and means for causing displacement ofone of said elements to permit release of the secondary top. 1

'11. A toy comprising in combination a primary top, a secondary top,means whereby said primary top supports said secondary top and permitsthe latter to rotate independently upon its own axis, and means wherebythe secondary top may be set in independent rotation when the primarytop is rotated.

12. A toy comprising in combination a primary top, a secondary top,means whereby saidprimary top supports and confines said secondary topin aposition aside from the aXis of the'primary top, and permits thesecondary top to :rotate about its'ovvn axis, means for setting thesecondary top in rotation, and means for releasing the secondary topfrom the primary top.

13. The combination of a primary top having means for supporting andcarrying rotatably a secondary top, a shaft mounted rotatably in saidprimary top, a driver 'secured to said shaft and adapted to makeperipheral frictional contact with a secondary top so carried, and aspinning device comprising a body having means for engagingsaid shaftand holding it from rotating, and a sleeve rotatably mounted on saidbody and having means for engaging and transmitting rotation to saidprimary top.

14. A toy comprising in combination, a main top, a secondary top smallerthan the main top, said main top having means for supporting saidsecondary top rotatably at one side of the axis of the main top, adriver mounted rotatably in the main top and including a disk adapted tomake frictional contact peripherally with the secondary top, said driverhaving also a shank portion coaxial with the main top and exposed at theupper end of. the latter, and a spinning device comprising connectedrelatively rota-- table members, one of said members having means forengaging the shank of sald drlver having a peripheral surfacefrictionally 'engaging the surfaces of the secondary tops, whereby todrive the latter ,rotatably.

16. A ,top comprising a body having a cavity formed with a pivot bearingin its bottom, a retaining member located in the upper part of saidcavity and having a pivot bearing in its .under side, a secondary tophaving upperand' lower pivots adapted to be engaged with said pivotbearings respectively, said retaining member being movably mounted andadapted to be raised so as to releasethe pivot of the secondary topwhich is contained; in the bearing thereof,

'7 and a driving'disk contained rotatably in said bodyhaving itsperiphery in contact with the surface of the secondary top.

In't'estimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence oftwo-witnesses.

7 HAROLD M. HOl/VABD. Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0

